US rescinds termination of Temporary Protected Status for 4 nations

WASHINGTON

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the rescission of a decision by the administration of former President Donald Trump to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designations for El Salvador, Honduras, Nepal and Nicaragua.

Additionally, DHS extended TPS for the four countries for 18 months.

"Through the extension of Temporary Protected Status, we are able to offer continued safety and protection to current beneficiaries who are nationals of El Salvador, Honduras, Nepal, and Nicaragua who are already present in the United States and cannot return because of the impacts of environmental disasters," said Homeland Security Secretary of Alejandro Mayorkas.

"We will continue to offer support to them through this temporary form of humanitarian relief," he said.

The Trump administration ended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designations for the four countries in May 2018, effective January 2020.

TPS is an immigration program that protects foreign nationals who are unable to safely return to their home countries due to catastrophic events such as war, famine, natural disasters or epidemics.

It is a temporary humanitarian measure designed to offer relief but does not confer permanent residency in the US.

More than 300,000 people are estimated to be benefiting from TPS.